New Government funding helps local nurse to pursue her dream

New graduate nurse Esther
Allington (27) has landed her dream job thanks to new
Government funding.

Miss Allington is one of 48 graduate
nurses nationwide whose salaries are being funded by the
Government to work in high needs*
communities.

Based at the East Tamaki Health Care Glen
Innes clinic, Miss Allington simply loves her job.

"I love
the people. I love the cultures here. Primary care was my
favourite placement when I was studying," she says.

"This
is grassroots nursing and I want to make a difference to
people and work to improve their health outcomes."

Gillian
Davies, clinical services manager nursing and allied health
at East Tamaki Health Care, says it wouldn't have been
possible to employ Miss Allington, and two other graduate
nurses based in south Auckland and west Auckland, without
the Government funding.

"What's more, we were able to give
the new graduates an opportunity to start their career in
primary healthcare that they wouldn't have otherwise had,"
Mrs Davies says.

The employment of an extra nurse has also
increased access for patients, she says.

A sum of $50,000 goes directly to
eligible general practices to employ a new graduate nurse
and support their development for 12 months.

In addition,
the local District Health Board (DHB) provides support
through the Nurse Entry to Practice programme.

*A high needs population as defined by the
Ministry of Health is when a general practice's enrolled
population is at least 50 per cent Māori, Pacific or New
Zealand Deprivation Index quintile 5.

About East
Tamaki HealthcareThe East Tamaki Healthcare (ETHC)
Group maintains the largest network of primary care
providers in New Zealand. ETHC clinics are spread throughout
South, Central and West Auckland. ETHC offers a diverse
range of services within the scope of primary care,
including immunisations, doctor and nurse consultations,
ACC, radiology, maternity, community and clinic based mental
health team services and minor surgery. ETHC is the sole
provider of primary care services to Total Healthcare PHO.
You can find out more on the ETHC website http://www.ethc.co.nz or the Total
Healthcare website http://www.totalhealthcare.org.nz

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